The Grit Patterns exhibit at Bay View's BYO Studio Lounge assembles the work of fourteen student designers conducting materials research at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning. In their research, students search for the hidden beauty in ordinary construction materials. Wood, steel and aluminum donated by local manufacturers are transformed into exotic wall and ceiling installations inspired by the fluidity and complexity of living organisms. Students conduct this work as a form of community outreach in collaboration with Milwaukee businesses. Participating business owners get an opportunity to upgrade their interiors for a fraction of the usual cost. This melding of academic research and local business provides a way to insert small works of forward-looking interior design into existing establishments, providing a refreshing change of pace and a moment of visual interest for customers.

After exhibiting the work at BYO Studio Lounge, one installation will go to its permanent home at Roast Coffee Company located at 2132 E Locust St. This ceiling installation will provide a new backdrop for the service counter. Another piece is headed for Hi Hat Lounge located at 1709 N Arlington Place, where it will provide a new backdrop for the bar.

By melding parametric design and experimental fabrication, fourteen designers transform common materials into provocative architectural installations. The exhibition includes material artifacts, full-scale prototypes, oneiric structures, wall coverings and ceiling systems. These hybrids of art and architecture tap into the latent beauty and complexity of materials through an iterative process of risk and discovery.